On the morning of February 28, 2026 (9 Esfand 1404) a new phase of the Middle East crisis began. The United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against the Islamic Republic. The operation was reportedly known as “Epic Fury” by the United States and “Roaring Lion” by Israel. The stated objectives included: - weakening Iran’s military leadership - neutralizing its nuclear and missile programs - removing strategic threats posed by the Iranian leadership These strikes effectively marked the beginning of what many analysts now call the 2026 war with the Islamic Republic. Regional tensions had been escalating since 2023. Throughout 2024, several rounds of military exchanges occurred between Iran, Israel, and Iranian-aligned groups in the region. In June 2025, a brief but intense confrontation (later referred to as the “12-Day War”) saw Israeli and US strikes against parts of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. The conflict ended with a fragile ceasefire but did not resolve the underlying tensions. By January 2026, large-scale anti-government protests had erupted across Iran in more than 100 cities, becoming the largest wave of unrest since the 1979 revolution. Reports indicated severe crackdowns by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij forces, with estimated casualties ranging from 30,000 to 43,000 people. At the same time, the United States began its largest military deployment to the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War, positioning multiple aircraft carriers in the region, including: - USS Abraham Lincoln - USS Gerald R. Ford -USS George H. W. Bush Diplomatic efforts continued in parallel. Indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States took place in Oman and Geneva during February 2026. Although limited progress was reported around February 26, the talks ultimately collapsed. US President Donald Trump warned that military action would follow if Iran refused proposed conditions. Intelligence reports later suggested that Western intelligence services had tracked a high-level leadership meeting in Tehran, influencing the timing of the operation. The main strikes began on the morning of February 28. The first wave reportedly started around 9:45 AM Tehran time and continued until approximately 11:30 AM. During the operation: - hundreds of Israeli fighter jets - US missiles and drones - struck more than 500 strategic targets across Iran. Within the first 24 hours, more than 1,200 precision bombs and missiles were used. Targets included: - IRGC command centers - missile bases - nuclear facilities - intelligence infrastructure - naval and air bases In the early hours of the attacks, reports emerged that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had been killed in one of the strikes. Several other high-ranking officials were also reportedly killed, including: - Ali Shamkhani - senior IRGC commanders - officials from the Ministry of Intelligence Civilian casualties were also reported. One of the deadliest incidents involved a strike that hit a girls’ school in Minab, reportedly killing 148 people. Iran responded almost immediately with a large-scale military retaliation named “True Promise 4.” The response included: - hundreds of missiles and drones launched toward Israel - attacks on US bases in the Persian Gulf - intensified operations by Iranian-aligned groups in the region Iran also closed the Strait of Hormuz, triggering immediate shockwaves in global energy markets. Groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and several Iraqi militias became involved, expanding the conflict into multiple regional fronts. In the following days, US and Israeli strikes expanded to additional military targets across Iran, including: - oil infrastructure - naval facilities such as Kharg Island - IRGC bases across several provinces Iran continued missile and drone attacks, although reports indicated a decline in missile launch capacity due to limited reserves. Following the death of the Supreme Leader, a temporary leadership structure was formed inside Iran, and later Mojtaba Khamenei was announced as the new leader. According to statements by Donald Trump, the military operation could last four to five weeks. As of mid-March 2026, the war remains ongoing and the situation across the region continues to evolve rapidly. According to Islamic Republic sources, this observance is registered and presented in the official calendar in this form and with these descriptions.
